“I’ve never tried.”
She groaned and steadied the horse for me to climb up. She began to follow, when Simon yelled, “Stop!”
He had his sword again, and it was outstretched toward Trina. The expression on his face was deadly serious, but so was hers.
She raised her hands. “I’m moving her to safety.”
“Back away.”
Trina snorted. “I’ll come with you. You need my help.”
“No, I don’t.” Simon advanced, separating us with a gesture of his sword. “Don’t try to fo
llow us.”
“Simon, this isn’t a good idea. It’ll mean trouble for you.”
His chuckle was harsh. “No doubt, but only if Tenger finds us. And he won’t.”
I’d begun to slide off the horse, but when he saw me move, he pushed Trina aside, then nearly leapt into the saddle behind me, shaking the reins to race us up the ramp out of the underground camp.
I squirmed within his arms. “Where are you taking me?”
If he heard me, his only response was to pull me in closer. I felt the tension in his muscles, saw the stiff grip of his hands. He was furious, or frightened. I was both.
We rode fast until the camp was long out of sight, and still Simon pushed us forward, ignoring my questions, my threats, and anything else I could think of to slow him down. The first few minutes of escape from the camp lengthened into what might have put us an hour away from the others. We were deeper into the Drybelt—the dusty landscape confirmed that. There wouldn’t be many people out this way, and if they were here, they probably weren’t Loyalists. I’d have to free myself. Somehow.
Finally, he brought us to a walking speed. I thrust an elbow behind me. “Do you have to sit so close?”
“Yes.”
I rolled my eyes, unamused. “Please,” I said, pointing up ahead at a thin stream. “I need a rest, and a drink.”
This was true enough. In this arid part of the land, it might be some time before we encountered another water supply.
After a few seconds in which I’d thought he was ignoring me, Simon slowed his horse to a stop. He dismounted first, then helped me off. “Stay where I can see you,” he said, then led the horse farther downstream for a drink.
I knelt beside the stream and looked around until I found a piece of rock, maybe sharp enough to be a weapon. He wouldn’t believe that I could use it, and perhaps he’d be right. We’d find out together.
With the rock clasped in my hand, I took a quick survey of my surroundings. The stream flowed from a pass between two sparse hills ahead of me. I didn’t see anywhere to hide, but if I got a good start, I might be able to outrun him.
I glanced back to see Simon looking the horse over, inspecting its legs and hooves. This was my chance. I took a deep breath, then set off at a full run. However, I wasn’t a stone’s throw away before Simon grabbed my waist and yanked me down with him onto the sandy hillside.
I fought against his grip, and even got in a decent cut on his arm before he wrenched the rock out of my hand. Then he knelt over me and pulled the binding cord from where it had been hung across his shoulders. He snapped one end against his wrist, which instantly curled and sealed in a full circle.
“Don’t you dare!” I cried.
But he lifted my arm and snapped the other end against my wrist, where it did the very same thing. Only then did he release me and get back to his feet.
I pulled at the cord, and when it failed to release, I tried to roll my wrist through the opening, but it wouldn’t budge. He gave the cord a tug of his own, though I noticed on his end, it widened when he pulled at it. The cord had recognized Simon as its master.
“Release me,” I said as firmly as possible. “You have no right—”
“No, but I have every responsibility.” The sharpness of his tone softened, though the urgency remained. “I’m your protector, Kestra, and in my judgment, the best protection is to get you away from the Coracks, away from the Halderians, and safe from Lord Endrick.”
“I can protect myself.”
“With a rock?” Simon withdrew his knife from its sheath and offered it to me. “Use this instead … if you can.”